Proxy server and method thereof for forwarding location requests to a position determining entity

ABSTRACT

A method, system and server comprise forwarding data from a packet data serving node (PDSN) to a server, determining, at the server, an appropriate Position Determining Entity (PDE) to forward the data to based on a network in which a mobile station is roaming and forwarding the data from the server to the PDE.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation from U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/045,745, filed Mar. 11, 2008, and entitled “Proxy Server and MethodThereof for Forwarding Location Requests to a Position”, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate tocommunication between a mobile station and a Position Determining Entity(PDE) via a proxy server. More particularly, in exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention, the proxy server is operable to receive data froma mobile station, process the data in conjunction with informationcontained within proxy server databases, and forward/modify, asappropriate, the data to the PDE or block requests based on rulesconfigured within the proxy server.

2. Description of the Related Art

As depicted in FIG. 1, in a wireless communication system or network100, mobile station 110, such as cellular or PCS telephones withInternet connections, typically transmit packet data over a network byestablishing a point-to-point protocol (PPP) with one or more packetdata service nodes (PDSN) 120, 130. The mobile station 110 sends packetsacross an radio frequency (RF) interface, for example, a code divisionmultiple access (CDMA) interface, to a base station or packet controlfunction (not shown). The base station or packet control functionestablishes the PPP instance with the PDSN 120, 130.

FIG. 1 illustrates a CDMA network 100 as known in the related art. Themobile station 110 is connected to a radio network, Carrier A or CarrierB, through the radio frequency band. In particular, the radio networkCarrier A to which the mobile station 110 belongs before traveling maybe known as a home radio network, and the radio network Carrier B towhich the mobile station 110 belongs after traveling may be known as atarget radio network. The radio network Carrier A or Carrier B connectsthe mobile station 110 with a packet data serving node (PDSN) 120 or130. Specifically, the PDSN 120 to which the mobile station 110 belongsbefore traveling may be known as a home PDSN 120, and the PDSN 130 towhich the mobile station 110 belongs after traveling may be known as atarget PDSN 130. The radio network Carrier A or Carrier B may include aradio base station (not shown) and a base station controller/packetcontrol function (BSC/PCF) (not shown). The radio network Carrier A orCarrier B and the PDSN 120 or 130 allow the mobile station 110 tocommunicate data over a network, such as the Internet.

In such a wireless communication network, a handover is performed whenthe mobile station 110 travels to an area managed by the radio networkCarrier B and the PDSN 130 while performing data service through theradio network Carrier A and the PDSN 120. If the handover is performedas above, in the CDMA network, the PDSN 120 managing the mobile station110 before traveling is connected with the PDSN 130 managing the mobilestation 110 after traveling, by tunneling. More particularly, in theCDMA network, the handover is performed using a path extension betweenthe PDSNs 120 and 130 through tunneling, without changing the PDSN 120providing a service to the mobile station 110. That is, after thehandover, the mobile station 110 communicates data through the firstPDSN 120, the second PDSN 130, and the second radio network Carrier B.The first and second PDSNs 120 and 130 are connected through a tunnel.

When a mobile station 110 initiates a request for information from aPosition Determining Entity (PDE) (a PDE request) in a roamingenvironment as described, the request is forwarded via an existingconnection to the mobile station's home radio network, Carrier A.However, one disadvantage in the roaming environment is that it may bedifficult to determine the appropriate PDE 140, 150 to which the PDErequest should be sent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention overcome the abovedisadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. Also, thepresent invention is not required to overcome the disadvantagesdescribed above, and an exemplary embodiment of the present inventionmay not overcome any of the problems described above.

The present invention provides a method for communication between amobile station and a PDE.

The present invention also provides a wireless communication network,comprising a mobile station, a proxy server, and a PDE.

Further still, the present invention provides a proxy server in awireless communication network, the proxy server operable to receive,forward, and modify data from a mobile station to a PDE.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method forcommunication between a mobile station and a PDE, the method comprising:transmitting data from the mobile station to a PDSN; forwarding the datafrom the PDSN to a proxy server; and at least one of forwarding andmodifying the data from the proxy server to the PDE.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided awireless communication network, comprising: a mobile station operable totransmit and receive data; a proxy server operable to receive thetransmitted data from the mobile station and at least one of forward andmodify the data; and a PDE operable to receive the data from the proxyserver and use the data to determine a location of the mobile station.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided aproxy server in a wireless communication network, the proxy serveroperable to receive, forward, and modify data from a mobile station to aPDE, the proxy server comprising at least one of: a subscriber databaseincluding information regarding characteristics of the mobile station,the information used by the proxy server to determine whether to forwardthe data to the PDE; and a network information database includinginformation regarding characteristics of the wireless communicationnetwork, the information used by the proxy server to determine a routeto forward the data to the PDE.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdescription of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication system according to therelated art;

FIG. 2 illustrates a wireless communication system including a proxyserver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for communication between a mobilestation and a PDE via a proxy sever according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are describedusing a code division multiple access (CDMA) mode, the present inventionis not limited to that mode. Rather, the present invention, includingthe novel proxy server, may be applied to operating in one or more ofvarious differing modes, such as an analog mode, a time divisionmultiple access (TDMA) mode, the aforementioned code division multipleaccess (CDMA) mode, a general packet radio service (GPRS) mode, widebandCDMA (W-CDMA) mode, or universal mobile telecommunications service(UMTS) mode, for example.

FIG. 2 illustrates a wireless communication system 200 including a proxyserver 210 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 2, a mobile station 220 may be located andoperate in one of a plurality of radio networks, Carrier A, Carrier B.That is, the present invention relates, but is not limited to, a mobilestation in a roaming environment. FIG. 2 depicts mobile station 220operating within Carrier network B.

When mobile station 220 seeks to query one or more of a PositionDetermining Entity (PDE) 230, 240 to, for example, locate a position ofthe mobile station 220, the mobile station 220 “talks” or sends arequest to the one or more PDE 230, 240. In exemplary embodiments of theinvention, the PDE are known as UP-PDE. Such requests, in the exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, may use the IS-801 standard astheir protocol.

The request may first be routed to a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN)250. The PDSN 250 is responsible for managing point-to-point protocol(PPP) sessions between the mobile station 220 and the mobile station'score or home internet protocol (IP) network, for example, Carrier A.

PDSN 250 subsequently transmits or forwards the request to PDSN 260,located in home radio network, Carrier A. PDSN 260 receives the requestfrom PDSN 250, and then forwards the request to proxy server 210, forexample, an IS-801 proxy server.

Proxy server 210 may include a subscriber database 211 and a networkinformation database 212. The subscriber database 211 may includeinformation regarding characteristics of the mobile station 220. Thisinformation may include, for example, information on which subscribersare permitted to make PDE requests. In exemplary embodiments of theinvention, the PDE requests are known as UP-PDE requests or queries. Thesubscriber database information may be used by the proxy server 210 todetermine whether to forward the request to the appropriate one of thePDE 230, 240.

The network information database 212 may include information regardingcharacteristics of the wireless communication system 200. Thisinformation may include, for example, information regarding where toroute requests or queries based on the serving network in which themobile station 220 is located. It may also include data that is used toidentify a particular network's air interface (e.g., SID & NID) as wellas a network's IP address range. The information from the networkinformation database 212 may be used by the proxy server 210 todetermine a route to forward the request to the appropriate PDE. Forexample, the request may be routed to a hosted PDE or a carrier's PDE.

Any of the communication networks of the invention may also includecomponents or nodes utilizing aggregation schemes, for example, BSAaggregation. In operation, the proxy server 210 may act as aclearinghouse for location requests between carriers and variousapplications, such as commercial or 911 related applications. Further,there may be included a database of how networks relate to each other.For example, subs from network A can query network B, but NOT network C.The redirection and authorization operability of the proxy server 210may allow traffic control between networks and prevent any security,privacy, or spam issues.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a billing informationdatabase 213 may be included that prepares billing information based onpredetermined characteristics of any or all components of the wirelesscommunication system 200. The billing information database may includeinformation, for example, call records that may be used to determineappropriate billing to the mobile station 220 in a roaming situation.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for communication between a mobilestation and a PDE via a proxy server according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

In the exemplary method according to the invention, a roaming mobilestation queries one or more PDE's in order to locate a position of themobile station. The query or request may be routed 300 to a first PDSNlocated in a roaming carrier network in which the mobile station is, atthe time of request, also located. The first PDSN is responsible formanaging PPP sessions between the mobile station and the mobilestation's home IP network.

The first PDSN subsequently processes and transmits or forwards 310 therequest to a home PDSN, located in a home radio network of the mobilestation. The home PDSN receives the request from the first PDSN, andthen forwards 320 the request to a proxy server, for example, an IS-801proxy server.

The proxy sever receives the request, and processes 330 the request.During this processing, the proxy server may identify one or more of theserving network, home network, and subscriber or user of the mobilestation.

The proxy server may include a subscriber database and a networkinformation database. The proxy server queries 340 the subscriberdatabase to determine whether or not to forward the request to the PDEbased on, for example, permission data related to the user of the mobilestation sending the request to the PDE. If a decision is made using thesubscriber database to forward the request to the PDE, the request maybe forwarded to the PDE by the proxy server. Of course, the request maybe modified as necessary before sending. If a decision is made using thesubscriber database not to forward the request to the PDE, the proxyserver may send a notification message to the mobile station or othercomponent of the communication network.

The proxy server may also query 350 the network information database todetermine a route to forward the request to the PDE. First, the proxyserver may query the network information database to look up the homeand serving network. The network information may include informationregarding characteristics of the wireless communication networks, suchas information regarding where to route requests or queries based on theserving network in which the mobile station is located. Based on theinformation, the proxy server may forward 360 the request to theappropriate PDE.

Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, the present invention is not limited to thedescribed exemplary embodiments. Instead, it would be understood bythose skilled in the art that changes may be made to these exemplaryembodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of theinvention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: forwarding data from apacket data serving node (PDSN) to a server; determining, at the server,an appropriate Position Determining Entity (PDE) to forward the data tobased on a network in which a mobile station is roaming; and forwardingthe data from the server to the PDE.
 2. The method according to claim 1,further comprising transmitting the data from the mobile station to thePDSN.
 3. The method for to claim 1, further comprising accessing asubscriber database using the server to obtain subscriber information.4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the subscriber informationis used to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE.
 5. Themethod according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a networkinformation database using the server to obtain network information. 6.The method according to claim 5, wherein the network information is usedto determine a route to forward the data to the PDE.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the PDE is at least one of a hosted PDEand a carrier PDE.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the datacomprises a request for location information of the mobile station. 9.The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station and PDSN arenot in a same carrier network.
 10. The method according to claim 1,further comprising preparing billing information based on predeterminedcharacteristics of the transmission and forwarding of the data.
 11. Anetwork, comprising: a server; and a position determining entity (PDE);wherein the server is configured to: receive transmitted data; determinethe PDE to forward the data to based on a network in which a mobilestation is roaming, and forward the data to the PDE; wherein the PDE isconfigured to: receive the data from the server; and use the data todetermine a location of the mobile station.
 12. The network according toclaim 11, wherein the server comprises at least one of a subscriberdatabase and a network information database.
 13. The network accordingto claim 12, wherein the subscriber database comprises informationregarding mobile station characteristics, the information used by theserver to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE.
 14. Thenetwork according to claim 12, wherein the network information databasecomprises information regarding communication network characteristics,the information used by the server to determine a route to forward thedata to the PDE.
 15. The network according to claim 12, wherein themobile station is operable to transmit data and receive data.
 16. Thenetwork according to claim 11, further comprising a packet data servingnode (PDSN) operable to receive the data transmitted by the mobilestation and forward the data to the server.
 17. The network according toclaim 16, further comprising a plurality of carrier networks, whereinthe mobile station and the PDSN are located in different ones of theplurality of carrier networks.
 18. The network according to claim 11,further comprising a billing information database operable to preparebilling information based on predetermined characteristics of thetransmission of the data.
 19. The network according to claim 11, whereinthe data comprises a request for location information of the mobilestation.
 20. A server in a wireless communication network, the serveroperable to receive and forward data from a mobile station to a PositionDetermining Entity (PDE), the server comprising at least one of: asubscriber database including information regarding whether the mobilestation is permitted to make PDE requests, the information used by theserver to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE; and anetwork information database including information regardingcharacteristics of the wireless communication network, the informationused by the server to determine an appropriate PDE to forward the datato based on a network in which a mobile station is roaming.